1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of Web-cast events and, more particularly, to a method and system for controlling and monitoring a Web-cast event.
2. Description of Related Art
Increasingly, information and entertainment content is being disseminated via the communications infrastructure, including the Internet and other communications networks. Recently, content providers have turned to broadcasting via the Internet, known as “Web-casting,” as a viable broadcast option. Various events from live corporate earnings calls, to live sporting events have been broadcast using the Internet and streaming video/audio players.
Generally speaking, Web-casting is the transmission of live or pre-recorded audio or video to personal computers or other computing or display devices that are connected to the Internet and/or other global communications networks. Web-casting permits a content provider to bring both video and audio directly to the computer of one or more end users in formats commonly referred to as streaming video and streaming audio. In addition to delivering entertainment content, Web-casts are increasingly being employed to deliver various business related information to end users. For example, corporate earnings calls, seminars, and distanced learning content are being delivered via Web-casts. The Web-cast format is advantageous because a multimedia presentation that incorporates various interactive components can be streamed to end users all over the globe. In addition to streaming media, Web-cast events can comprise other multimedia components, such as, for example, slide shows, Web-based content, such as FLASH and SHOCKWAVE presentations, interactive polling and questions, to name a few.
Web-cast events can be broadcast live or played back from storage on an archived basis. To view the Web-cast event, the end user must have a streaming-media player, such as for example REALPLAYER provided by RealNetworks, Inc., or WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER provided by Microsoft Corporation, loaded on their computing device. Furthermore, Web-casts that include other multimedia content such as slides, Web content and other interactive components typically require the end user to have a Web browser, such as NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR provided by Netscape Communications Corp., or INTERNET EXPLORER, provided by Microsoft Corporation. In general, the streamed video or audio is stored on a centralized location or source, such as a server, and pushed to an end user's computer through the media player and Web browser.
A deficiency with many Web-cast event broadcasting systems is that if a business client wishes to broadcast an audio feed from a remote location as the primary feed into the Web-cast event, a relatively large amount of broadcast equipment and components are needed at the remote location to generate the audio feed. For example, audio capture and converter hardware is needed at the remote location to facilitate the generation of an audio feed into a Web-cast event from a remote location.
Another limitation of Web-cast event broadcasting systems is that, at the broadcast center, prior to the event, a technician must spend a relatively lengthy period of time manually setting up and configuring various encoders and related communications hardware so that the proper feeds and signals to participants in the Web-cast event will be properly set up. Additionally, the Web-cast event must be initiated by a technician at the broadcast center, and not by a user at a remote location.
Furthermore, Web-cast event broadcasting systems require a relatively large amount of hardware at a broadcast center, for example, multiple hardware cards to receive packetized data at the encoder server, and these hardware devices require a relatively large amount of rack space in the encoder servers at the facilities of the broadcast center.
Still further, the quality control of a Web-cast event requires constant monitoring by a technician and thus requires a relatively large amount of human resource time and is subject to a great deal of human error. As such, a need exists for an improved system and method for controlling and/or providing a Web-cast.